Sabalenka seeks renewal: "I want to come to the net more, show new things"
The Belarusian confirmed that she is trying to add new variations to her tennis, seeking improvements in her serve and renewing herself as a tennis player. She has already reached the semifinals in Brisbane.
Aryna Sabalenka doesn't want to stand still despite looking at her competitors from the top of the tennis world. Renew or die is a maxim deeply ingrained in all great champions, and that is what the Belarusian wants to demonstrate, setting new goals for 2026. The objective? To continue being unpredictable, add new layers to her tennis, and further strengthen her outstanding qualities.
She is showing this at the WTA Brisbane 2026, her first competitive test of the year, where she is already in the semifinals after defeating her rival in the final of the previous Open de Australia, a match in which Madison Keys struggled against Aryna's consistency and speed. These performances reinforce the work of an entire preseason and highlight that the Belarusian is constantly seeking improvement, as she reflected in an insightful press conference on the work she has done over the past month.
Sabalenka admits she wants to add new elements to her game, including coming to the net more and improving her serve
- Did you feel a sense of revenge, playing in Australia, after the final of the previous Australian Open?
"Honestly, not at all. I just tried to show my best tennis, play point by point: when I won the match, of course I was extremely happy, but the previous Australian Open didn't cross my mind, I don't know why. I try never to dwell on the past, and looking ahead to my next semifinal match against Muchova, I'm not focused on whether I'm leading the head-to-head or not, it doesn’t bother me. I just want to show my best version, perform better on that occasion. I hope to get the win tomorrow as well."
- Working on your emotions and not being too hard on yourself
"I've been working very hard for a long time to control my emotions. In the past, when I made an easy mistake, I could lose the match just because I got so frustrated by that error. Now I try to move on, think everything is fine, and that I'll do better on the next point. That's my mentality nowadays, and I believe it has been working for quite some time."
- Total focus during the preseason on a couple of areas
"In this tournament, I'm trying to demonstrate things on the court that I worked on during my preseason. For example, coming to the net more. I've worked on my serve, and it seems to be working a bit better. I want to bring to the court things I've trained on during my practice sessions, in my preseason. That's it. I want to accumulate matches and wins to regain rhythm and have these things come up."
- Her relationship with her coaching team and the feedback she seeks from them during a match
"Honestly, I have no idea what I want from them (laughs). Every tournament, I observe them, and what's craziest is that they also try to figure out what I'm asking for. Sometimes I seek support, sometimes I seek advice, sometimes I just look without a specific reason. That's what's difficult for them. I suppose we should ask them how they feel and what they think I need at each moment (smiles). It's always different. Sometimes I just blurt out whatever comes to mind, to get it out of my system. There are times when I feel they're annoying and should stop what they're doing (laughs). Yes, I know that I can be irritating, hard to handle, for sure."
- Is there a specific exercise to improve how you treat yourself after a consuming error?
"I've worked for many years with a psychologist, always seeking something, searching in your head for the best solution. I think experience helps a lot: I've been through so many on-court situations that I know a minor error won't change the entire match. It's okay, it happens, nobody is perfect. That has worked for me. Sometimes I throw my racket, shout to get it out of my mind, others I build from within. Everyone is different, some people need a psychologist, others don't; I have my team, and it's important for me to hear their opinions, have options for any situation I encounter. I talk a lot with my team, and we find a solution to any problem."
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Sabalenka busca renovarse: "Quiero subir más a la red, mostrar cosas nuevas"